Career Overview
Sew, join, reinforce, or finish, usually with needle and thread, a variety of manufactured items. Includes weavers and stitchers.
Also Known As
- Alteration Specialist
- Couturier
- Custom Clothier
- Seamstress
Alternate Job Titles
- Alteration Specialist
- Apparel Specialist
- Bale Sewer
- Baseball Hand Sewer
- Beadworker
- Casing Sewer
- Cloth Bale Header
- Clothier
- Couturier
- Custom Apparel Specialist
- Custom Clothier
- Custom Designer
- Custom Seamstress
- Embroidery Specialist
- Fabric Specialist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Select thread, twine, cord, or yarn to be used, and thread needles.
- Measure and align parts, fasteners, or trimmings, following seams, edges, or markings on parts.
- Trim excess threads or edges of parts, using scissors or knives.
- Sew, join, reinforce, or finish parts of articles, such as garments, books, mattresses, toys, and wigs, using needles and thread or other materials.
- Use different sewing techniques such as felling, tacking, basting, embroidery, and fagoting.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Patch materials, such as cotton or leather.
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Finger Dexterity
- Manual Dexterity
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Near Vision
- Control Precision
- Visualization
- Information Ordering
- Category Flexibility
- Multilimb Coordination
- Visual Color Discrimination
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Perseverance
- Achievement Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Support
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Less than a High School Diploma
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Tools & Equipment
- Computer laser printers
- Embroidery machines
- Fabric shears
- Foot rules
- Gridded rulers
- Lacing fids
- Laptop computers
- Leather punches
- Measuring tapes
- Needle threaders
- Overstitchers
- Pressing irons
- Seam gauges
- Seam rippers
- Sewing awls
Work Environment
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $25,530 |
| Median | $33,760 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $46,320 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 2,240
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Sewing Machine Operators
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $36,000
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $40,860
Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $35,950
Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $38,160
Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $67,670
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.